The football team (1–0) ran over the Paint Branch Panthers (0–1) in their first game Friday, scoring four rushing touchdowns en route to a 27–7 victory.

This was a game that few thought the Vikings would win, especially with several players–including quarterback Matt Clayton–unavailable for the contest.

“We knew that we were the underdog in the game,” running back Gunnar Morton said. “Everyone in the county predicted us to lose. That is what propelled us to our success.”

This triumph reveals a vast improvement from the beginning of last season, when the Panthers defeated the Vikings by 39 points. Morton cited game preparation and team mentality as the source of the Vikings’ success.

“In past years, we would go into tough games knowing that it is a hard opponent, but this year we had the mindset that this is a very winnable game,” he said. “We watched a lot of film on them and knew their game plan. That gave us the confidence to go into the game.”

The Vikings return to Whitman for their home opener against Landon Friday at 6:30.